


Resplendence

by St_Panteleimon



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Multi, Slow Burn, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:01:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,944
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25987879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/St_Panteleimon/pseuds/St_Panteleimon
Summary: Iwaizumi never intervenes on the fateful day that Kageyama asks Oikawa to help him with his serves. For better or worse, the three boys learn that their destinies are intertwined.
Relationships: Iwaizumi Hajime/Kageyama Tobio, Iwaizumi Hajime/Kageyama Tobio/Oikawa Tooru, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kageyama Tobio/Oikawa Tooru
Comments: 110
Kudos: 545





	1. Marked

**Author's Note:**

> I'm experimenting writing for my favorite fandom using one of my favorite tropes. Feedback is appreciated as this is my first attempt at a multi-chapter work.

Kageyama sat against the wall of the gym, curled into himself, cradling his cheek in his hands. 

Oikawa stood a short distance away, eyes wide and chest heaving, clutching his shaking left wrist. 

When Oikawa struck Kageyama across the face, it hadn’t hurt the boy so much as it had shocked him. It was obvious that the setter had held back when he lashed out. Kageyama was all too familiar with how strong Oikawa was after spending the majority of the school year obsessively picking apart his jump serves during practice. If Oikawa truly meant him harm, he was sure he would have more than a bruised ego. What followed after Oikawa hit him was an entirely different matter.

Kageyama gingerly ran his fingers over his cheekbone, right where the back of Oikawa’s hand had met his face. Upon contact, an intense stinging sensation had spread across Kageyama’s skin, as if flesh were being sliced open and then cauterized. The intense pain had brought more than a few tears from Kageyama’s eyes. He winced as he brushed against the scar tissue.

“Oikawa-san, what was that?” 

Kageyama’s voice broke the older boy’s trance-like state. His breathing evened out and he regarded the younger boy with a serious expression. “Shut up for a minute and let me think, Kageyama.”

Kageyama’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. Oikawa using his family name instead of the usual mocking ‘ _Tobio-chan’_ was a first.

Despite his question, Tobio had somewhat of an idea of what had just happened. Soulmates were a large part of mainstream culture after all. On his first day at Kitagawa Daichi, all his classmates could talk about was how romantic it would be to meet their soulmates during middle school. For weeks, all of the first-years had gone around introducing themselves with handshakes, excited at the prospect of having their destined partner’s name grafted onto their skin.

Kageyama hadn’t expected the process to be so painful. Nor had he been expecting _Oikawa_ of all people to be his soulmate.

Kageyama was jolted from his thoughts when Oikawa knelt down to meet his eyes. “Okay, Tobio- _chan_ , here’s how it’s going to go. What happened today does not leave this gym. Understood?”

“I won’t tell anyone you hit me.”

Oikawa flinched but continued, “Good, but no one can know we’re…” Oikawa trailed off and meaningfully glanced toward his still trembling hand.

“Soulmates.” Kageyama finished for him eliciting a frown from the older boy. “But why?”

Oikawa’s frown turned into a wry grin. “Tobio- _chan,_ even destiny can make mistakes.” Oikawa tapped his own shoulder where Kageyama knew another name was already etched into his skin. “Plus, I have Hajime. I don’t need you.”

Kageyama’s heart sank, a lump forming in his throat. Kageyama could read between the lines. _He doesn’t want me_. He was determined not to let the other setter see him cry so he swallowed hard and muttered, “I understand.”

“That’s another thing. You will tell no one that we are soulmates. Especially Hajime.”

That one stung. Although Kageyama wasn’t too keen on advertising that his soulmate had rejected him anyway. He pointed at his cheek where he knew the kanji for _Oikawa Tooru_ lay. “And what do you suggest I do about this?” It was just Kageyama’s luck that the first time his soulmate touched him would be to swat him across the face. “Couldn’t have just gone for a handshake like most soulmates, could you?”

Oikawa rose with a scoff and averted his eyes from Kageyama’s face. It gave the younger boy some catharsis, however short-lived. “Figure it out, Tobio- _chan_. Put a paper bag over your head if you have to.” He paused and gave another mocking grin. “Actually, that might even be an improvement.”

That was the final straw for Kageyama. He felt tears gather at the corner of his eyes and resolutely stared at the floor. The shock of being hit by an upperclassman he looked up to. The joy and confusion of learning that Oikawa was his soulmate. The shame of being rejected. It was all too much for Kageyama. He felt his breaths become shallow and rushed.

In the background, he heard Oikawa clear his throat awkwardly and announce his departure. He heard his retreating footsteps and was soon left alone in the gymnasium with only the sounds of his distressed sobbing echoing through the space.

Kageyama wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the tears finally stopped leaking from his eyes, but with an undignified yelp, he started when a ringtone filled the quiet gym. He realized that it was coming from the phone that his grandfather had given him when he first started club activities in middle school. He quickly scrambled to retrieve it from his bag.

The screen read ‘Grandpa’ and he answered the phone quietly, “Hello?”

“Tobio, thank goodness! Do you know what time it is? Why are you not back home from your practice match?”

Kageyama pulled the phone from his ear and was startled to see that it was a little past nine in the evening. He had been sitting alone in the gym for a few hours. He put the phone back to his ear.

“Tobio! Tobio! Are you there?”

Kageyama cleared his throat. “Yeah, sorry. I’m here.”

“Where are you?”

“I’m still at school. I was practicing volleyball by myself and I must have lost track of time.” The lie slipped easily off his tongue. His grandpa, Kageyama Kazuyo, coached volleyball for years while Kageyama was still in elementary school, so he knew that the man would understand.

“You have to tell me these things, Tobio. Otherwise, I will worry myself into an early grave.” His grandpa sighed. “Can you get home now?”

Kageyama had walked home at night plenty of times. This area of Miyagi was peaceful and he had never run into trouble before. The idea of others seeing Oikawa’s name on his face, no matter how deserted and dark the streets may be, caused his heart to race though. He was slow responding, “Can you come get me?”

His grandpa must have sensed some distress in his voice, for his tone was much softer when he answered, “Of course I can. Be ready for me by the gate in five minutes.”

After affirming that he would meet his grandpa, Kageyama hung up his phone and began to mentally prepare for the conversation that was about to take place.

* * *

The ride home was mercifully silent. Kageyama felt his grandfather’s gaze immediately go to the name on his cheekbone when he got into the passenger seat, but thankfully the man didn’t say anything. That didn’t stop him from sending worried glances throughout the drive.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive back at his grandfather’s house. Before Kageyama could escape to the safety of his room, he heard his grandfather clear his throat behind him. “I know you’ve been practicing all night, but would you indulge an old man and pass the ball with me for a bit?”

Kageyama sighed and berated himself for not seeing this coming. He could never refuse his grandpa though, especially when it came to volleyball. “Sure.”

He followed his grandpa out to their modest backyard with volleyball in hand. The yard had a practice net set up that saw much use throughout Kageyama’s childhood. This was the place where Kazuyo had instilled and fanned the flames of passion for volleyball into his grandchildren. It was also the place where Kageyama felt most at ease.

Grandfather and grandson bumped the volleyball back and forth over the net, passing high and focusing on accuracy. They fell into an easy and familiar rhythm, but it wasn’t long before Kageyama passed a final time and Kazuyo caught it between his hands. “Tobio, how was your practice match? Did you get to play?”

_Ignoring the elephant in the room, very smooth._

“Yeah, they subbed me in for the second and third set. We won.”

Kazuyo walked toward the stairs that lead back into the house and took a seat on the edge of them. He patted next to him. “Come join me, Tobio.”

Kageyama obliged and steeled himself for the inevitable questions about the new mark on his face.

“This is your first time in an actual practice match, isn’t it? Why did they sub you in?”

Kageyama thought back on the match. Initially, he had thought that the coach just wanted to give him experience. He had been praising Kageyama much more during practices recently, and he thought his hard work was finally paying off. “Well, the other team had an amazing defense. Their blockers were stuffing us throughout the whole first set. But Oikawa-san also seemed off his game, he wasn’t syncing up with our spikers at all.” Just saying the setter’s name out loud put him in a foul mood and made his cheek itch.

“Oikawa-san, hmm?” Kazuyo hummed. This wasn’t the first time he had mentioned the older setter’s name. Kageyama would frequently wax poetic to his grandfather about his upperclassman’s amazing serves. As a setter, Oikawa was everything Kageyama strived to be, and Kazuyo knew this fact well. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”

Kageyama waited a considerable amount of time before growling indignantly under his breath, “It was stupid.”

His grandfather tilted his head but otherwise waited patiently for him to continue.

“After our practice match, Coach dismissed us. I overheard Iwaizumi-san and some other third-years talking about how Oikawa-san was still practicing in the gym.” Kageyama frowned. “During regular practice, Oikawa-san is always with his soulmate and blows me off whenever I ask for help with my serves.”

“Ah yes, you told me Iwaizumi is his soulmate, correct?”

Kageyama nodded.

“So you went to Oikawa while he was practicing alone to ask for help?”

“Yeah,” Kageyama huffed. “I don’t know what I thought was going to happen. Looking back now, I feel so stupid. I always thought he blew me off before because I was a lame first-year that he didn’t want to bother with. But no, I’m pretty sure Oikawa genuinely hates my guts.”

“He hit you when you approached him?” Kazuyo’s voice was soft, but it still made Kageyama flinch.

“Yes, how did you know?”

Kazuyo gently traced a finger over his grandson’s cheek. “You have a nasty bruise forming, my boy.”

“Oh.” Kageyama hadn’t thought he’d been hit that hard. Maybe the pain from the soulmark carving itself had distracted him from the initial blow.

Kazuyo sighed. “He shouldn’t have hit you. Especially since you’re his soulmate.”

“In his defense, he didn’t know I was one of his soulmates before he hit me.” Kageyama didn’t know why he felt the need to defend Oikawa. “And it’s partially my fault. I never took into consideration how he felt about being benched. Who knows what I would have done in his place. I would probably be upset if I was subbed out for a ‘genius setter’ two years my junior.” Kageyama hated it when Oikawa called him a genius. It always felt like an insult to the years of effort and training he’d put in with his grandfather.

“He’s older than you, he should know better. You’re a kind boy, Tobio, but it is not your job to make excuses for him.” Kazuyo put a reassuring hand on Kageyama’s shoulder. “So what happened next?”

Kageyama answered quietly, “He rejected me.”

“I’m so sorry, Tobio.”

The dam broke for the second time that night. Between his sobs, Kageyama explained how Oikawa had forbidden him to tell anyone about what transpired in the gym. He explained how he was forbidden to tell anyone about Oikawa being his soulmate. 

Kageyama had always known his grandfather to be a gentle, caring man. So watching the man tremble, face contorted in righteous fury was a frightening experience. Kazuyo didn’t speak though. There were no words he could offer to comfort Kageyama. He pulled his grandson close and let him cry himself to exhaustion.

* * *

Kageyama woke the next morning feeling emotionally drained and with a distinctive throbbing on the side left side of his face. He gingerly prodded the skin around his eye and winced at the resulting pain.

_Yep, I definitely have a black eye. Just my luck._

Taking out his phone to check out the bruise through the front-facing camera, Kageyama belatedly realized he didn’t even examine his soulmark the previous day. Sure enough, in small neat kanji across his cheekbone, _Oikawa Tooru_ was written. If he had any doubts before, they were gone now. He also noted that the bruise was pretty shallow, having already somewhat faded to a splotchy yellow overnight.

He wondered absently if somewhere across town Oikawa was staring at Kageyama’s messy signature on the back of his hand. Although it was more likely the boy was futilely trying to scrub the kanji off. 

Kageyama mentally berated himself when he caught sight of the time in the upper right corner of his phone’s screen. Realizing that his morning classes had started a half-hour ago, he groaned and rolled out of bed to rush through his morning routine so he could run to school.

He was stopped on his way to the bathroom by his grandfather calling him from the kitchen.

Kageyama rounded the corner to find Kazuyo sipping at his tea while watching the news.

“What is it, grandpa? I’m already running late for school.”

“Come sit with me. We still have a few things to discuss.” Kazuyo gestured to another cup of tea across the table from him. “Don’t worry about school today. I called the attendance office and told them you were staying at home with a fever.”

Kageyama hesitated, “Is it really okay to lie like that?”

“Under these circumstances, yes. You had quite a day yesterday, so don’t feel like you have to push yourself.”

Kageyama nodded and took the seat across his grandfather. Sipping at the lukewarm tea, he asked Kazuyo, “So what do we have to talk about?”

“Although some things may not apply to you, given your situation, I still figure we need to have the dreaded ‘soulmate’ talk.” Kazuyo’s eyes shined with mirth as he took in his grandson’s uncomfortable expression.

Kageyama blanched, “They teach us these things in school, we really don’t need to do this.”

“Don’t worry too much, Tobio, we’ll save the birds and the bees for another time.” He chuckled lightly when Kageyama sighed in relief. “First tell me what they taught you in school.”

Kageyama shrugged and mumbled, “Just the basics. Everyone has a destined partner that they’re supposed to meet and fall in love with. And then they live happily ever after.”

Kazuyo scoffed, “I figured as much. They have a bunch of sentimental fools teaching you then.” He rubbed at his temples before continuing, “What you have to realize first Tobio, is that while everyone in the world does have a ‘destined’ soulmate, there is no guarantee that you will ever meet them. I’m a prime example of that fact.”

Kageyama knew as much. His grandma had passed before he was born, but if she had been soulmates with his grandpa, her name still would have been on his body even after her death. He never doubted his grandparents loved each other just as strongly as any fated pair with the way Kazuyo talked about his late wife.

“Next, I don’t want you to be under the illusion that just because you’ve met your soulmate, he is the only one your heart can belong to. Even though the media loves to romanticize soulmates, it doesn’t mean that love between all soulmates is infallible.”

Kageyama cocked his head. “Infallible?”

“Sorry, let me rephrase. Not all fated pairs stay together. Many end up divorced or separated. Some soulmates cannot even stand to be in the same room as their partner. And there is no hard and fast rule saying that all soulmates have to be in a romantic relationship. You’ve heard of platonic soulmates?”

Kageyama nodded. “Yeah, that’s where your soulmate is your best friend, right?”

Kazuyo affirmed, “Essentially, yes. What I’m trying to get at, is that soulbonds come in all sorts of forms: best friends, lovers, _rivals_.” He stressed the last word and gave Kageyama a meaningful look. “I don’t want you to be ashamed of whatever form your soulbond with Oikawa-san takes, even if other people give you a hard time about it.”

Kageyama knew that there was truth in what his grandfather was saying. But at the same time, he couldn’t help the sting he felt from the rejection. Or the thought that there had to be something seriously wrong with him for Oikawa to ignore fate and deny their bond. So although something inside him felt hopelessly broken, he promised his grandfather that he would never feel ashamed.

“Is there anything else you wanted to talk about, grandpa?” Kageyama asked.

“Just keep me updated on things, Tobio. Soulbond effects differ from pair to pair. Don’t stop talking to me. No matter what happens, I’ll be here for you. I know I don’t say it enough, but I do love you.”

For the first time since Oikawa turned his world upside down, Kageyama felt like things might actually turn out okay. He smiled shyly at his grandfather. “Thank you, grandpa. For everything. I love you too.”

Kazuyo rose from his chair and made his way to the refrigerator. “I’ll fix us a late breakfast. How ‘bout you email your teachers and try to get some work from them? You don’t want to fall behind.”

Kageyama hated using his phone and hated talking on it even more. He was at least tech-savvy enough to access his school email though. He fired off a quick email to his teachers apologizing for being absent and asked if there was any work he could do while he was at home. While he was at it, he pulled up the one group chat he used regularly and messaged his teammates from volleyball, Kunimi and Kindaichi.

 **[Sent]:** tell coach im not gunna be at practice. home sick

Kageyama was surprised when he got a fairly quick response.

 **[Received] Kunimi:** k

He scoffed at the quintessential Kunimi response Just as he shoved his phone in his pocket, Kageyama could hear a rapid knocking from the front of the house that announced someone’s arrival to their door.

“Ah, Tobio, could you get that for me while I finish up breakfast, please?” Kazuyo asked from the stove.

“Are we expecting anyone?”

His grandpa gave a noncommittal hum, so Kageyama complied and went to answer the door. To his great surprise, his sister, Miwa, greeted him roughly by shoving past him with an overnight bag in hand.

“Took you long enough, brat. This bag is heavy, ya know?” Without waiting for a response, Kageyama’s sister dumped her luggage next to the entryway and beelined to where the sounds of Kazuyo cooking could be heard. Kageyama followed her dazedly.

“Miwa-chan, I’m so glad you could make it!” Kazuyo stepped away from the stovetop to embrace his granddaughter for a moment before returning to his work. Miwa made herself at home, taking Kageyama’s spot at the table.

“Miwa, what are you doing here?” Kageyama asked, still slightly flabbergasted.

Her expression turned dour as it usually did when she regarded her younger brother. The familial resemblance was strongest when the two siblings squabbled with each other. “Do I need a reason to visit my family?”

“No, I guess not.” Kageyama rubbed the back of his head. “It’s weird, that’s all.”

Kazuyo chuckled at his grandchildren. “Stop picking on the boy, Miwa. The truth is, Tobio, after I sent you to bed last night, I called Miwa and filled her in. Heaven knows that you would never willingly do it.”

Kageyama blushed, both at being called out and being told that Kazuyo had aired out all of his dirty laundry for his sister to see. It was bad enough his grandfather knew about Oikawa, he did not want his sister in on the shameful secret as well. The only saving grace was that there was no need to explain the story behind his highly-visible mark again.

“When Miwa heard what happened, she insisted on taking off work to come see you.”

That did not sound like his sister. He felt like it was more likely that she came back to town to rub Kageyama’s rejection in his face. However, when he chanced a look at Miwa, she bashfully avoided eye contact with him. 

Kageyama chose his words carefully, “While I appreciate that you made the trip, it wasn’t necessary.”

Apparently, that wasn’t the right thing. She scoffed at her brother, “Not necessary? How could I sit on my ass and do nothing after some asshole gives my brother a black eye?”

“Don’t call him that.” Again, the compulsive urge to defend Oikawa reared its ugly head. He wished that he could summon the righteous fury and indignant anger that his family felt on his behalf. But he could not get over the fact that despite everything the older boy had done, he still admired Oikawa with his whole being. “He’s my--”

“Soulmate? Yeah, I got the memo, Tobio.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. “Newsflash, kid, soulmates don’t go around giving their partners black eyes.”

“But he didn’t know--”

“You don’t have to make excuses for him. He did something shitty to you.”

Kageyama crossed his arms defensively. “It’s not like getting upset and whining about it is going to change anything. I won’t magically feel better about what happened.”

Her eyes turned kinder. “No, you won’t. But not acknowledging your hurt isn’t healthy either.” 

Kageyama wasn’t sure how to respond. Most interactions with his sister up to this point had ended in yelling matches. Her coming all the way to Sendai just to try to comfort him, no matter how stilted and awkward the attempt, was completely new territory.

Thankfully, Kageyama was saved by his grandfather setting three plates around their kitchen table. As they all took their seats, Kazuyo sheepishly said, “I hope you both are okay with an early lunch instead of breakfast.”

While eating, Kageyama was grateful that his grandfather dropped the subject of Oikawa to instead interrogate Miwa about her life in Sendai. 

Kageyama’s sister had moved to the area immediately after graduating high school to attend Miyagi University. Originally, she had pursued an education degree, but she dropped out after her first year to train to be a cosmetologist instead. Kageyama thought it suited her more than a career in teaching. He couldn’t imagine the prickly girl being in charge of a room of elementary students.

It wasn’t until the siblings were quietly cleaning up after the meal, Miwa washing the dishes while Kageyama dried them, that the soulmate subject came up again.

“Tobio, I have to confess,” Kazuyo began, still resting from his spot at the table. “The real reason I asked Miwa if she would come is that she might be able to help you with your dilemma.”

Kageyama wasn’t sure what his grandfather was referring to. “What dilemma?”

Miwa narrowed her eyes at his cheek as she read the kanji, “This Oikawa guy told you that he didn’t want anyone to know that you were soulmates, right?”

“Yeah, I don’t know what he expects me to do though. He suggested I wear a paper bag over my face, but that might look suspicious.”

Miwa snorted at that, before adopting a more somber expression. “You know, you don’t have to listen to him You don’t owe him any favors.”

Kageyama nodded. “I was fully prepared to go to school today with it showing. I woke up late, so there wasn’t really any time to tape gauze over it.” Kageyama paused. “I think I would rather have it covered though. For my sake, not Oikawa’s.”

Miwa offered him a reassuring smile. “Then I got you covered, little bro.”

* * *

“Makeup?!”

“Duh, why else would grandpa call me for help? You realize I do this for a living, right?” 

When his sister dragged him to the vanity in the bathroom with her overnight bag in hand, Kageyama was understandably apprehensive about what she had in mind. The last thing he was expecting was for her to pull out a makeup bag filled to the brim with brushes, foundations, and other beauty products.

Kageyama was affronted. “I can’t wear makeup to school, Miwa. I’m a guy.”

“No one is going to know, Tobio, that’s the whole point of this. And knock it off with your machismo bullshit. Get with the times, guys wear makeup all the time.”

“Whatever,” Kageyama growled under his breath.

Miwa was unimpressed. “Look, I’m happy to let you walk around with that ugly name on your face, but you said you wanted it covered. So are we doing this or not?”

“Fine,” Kageyama mumbled. “Just get it over with.”

“Pay attention to every step okay? I’ll write down the basics, but you need to be able to do this for yourself once I head back to Sendai.”

Kageyama nodded and looked at his reflection with determination.

“Good,” Miwa reached into her overnight bag and set what looked to be baby wipes on the vanity. “First things first, are you wanting to cover your black eye or just your soulmark?”

“I can deal with the black eye, just the soulmark.”

Miwa took a wipe and began gently rubbing and dabbing at his scarred tissue. “The first step is to wipe off the excess oils and cleanse your skin before applying any makeup. It’s very important to do this every morning so the makeup sticks throughout the entire day.” 

After she finished showing him the proper way to cleanse his soulmark area she scribbled _‘Step one: Cleanse’_ on a piece of paper before continuing.

“Next we’re going to moisturize the area…”

Miwa’s tutorial continued for some time as she explained each step to Kageyama, checked his understanding, and then wrote the step down for future reference. By the time she finished explaining how to blend the concealer and demonstrated over his mark, Kageyama was left speechless by the results.

He leaned in towards his reflection to examine the mark. If someone was really close to him, they might be able to tell that he was wearing makeup, but he doubted he would run into that issue at school of all places.

“This is amazing, Miwa!” Kageyama exclaimed.

His sister’s face lit up at the praise and she giggled, “Isn’t it? And don’t worry about it smudging during your practices. I brought you the best waterproof and sweat-proof products I could find.”

“Isn’t that expensive?” Kageyama didn’t like the idea of taking advantage of his sister. She was still just training to be a cosmetologist. He didn’t think she was rolling in money.

“Don’t worry about it, grandpa’s going to reimburse me, and he’ll keep you stocked up for however long you need to keep covering it.”

That made Kageyama feel slightly better.

“Okay,” Miwa reached for the cleansing wipes. “I’m going to teach you how to use the cleanser to remove all this makeup, and then I want you to practice doing all the steps by yourself so you’ll be ready for tomorrow. Sound like a plan?”

Kageyama nodded, surprised at how eager he was to try his hand at applying the makeup.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly as Miwa made her brother repeat the process of applying and removing the makeup until he was able to achieve the same seamless blend that she demonstrated the first time. Just for the fun of it, he had even allowed her to put his face through a full makeover. His cheeks burned at the sight of how _pretty_ he looked, but his sister looked like she was enjoying herself. He felt his embarrassment was a small price to pay to spend some quality time with her.

As he washed his face clean for the final time, Kageyama felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He fished it out in front of Miwa expecting to find an email notification from his teachers but was surprised to see a message from his group chat instead.

“What’s this? Tobio has friends?” His sister crooned from over his shoulder.

He rolled his eyes but ignored her as he opened up the message.

 **[Received] Kindaichi:** dude what did u do to the captain he’s pissed

Kageyama immediately felt his mood sour.

 **[Sent]:** oikawa?

 **[Received] Kunimi:** No, the other captain.

 **[Received] Kindaichi:** ignore him lol. ye oikawa about threw a fit when we told coach you were home sick

Kageyama chewed his lip, unsure of what to tell his friends. He settled for playing dumb.

 **[Sent]:** not sure why he’s mad, i guess i’ll find out tomorrow

He pocketed his phone and turned to his sister who was eyeing him cautiously. 

She put a hand on his shoulder and asked gently, “Are you going to be okay facing him tomorrow? I don’t think grandpa would mind keeping you home for another day.”

Kageyama sighed, “There’s no point in putting it off. I’ll be fine.”

“If you’re sure.” She pulled her brother in for a hug, which Kageyama returned after a moment. “If he tries anything, let me know. I’ll beat him up for you.”

Kageyama laughed at her promise, but it sounded hollow even to his ears.


	2. 'A Strong Team of Six'

Kageyama was convinced that the whole school knew about his confrontation with Oikawa. That was the only explanation for the wide-eyed stares that followed him from the school’s main gate to his homeroom. The sidelong glances and hushed conversations from his fellow students filled him with dread. The discomfort was almost enough to make him turn tail and run back to the safety of his grandfather’s house.

Miwa had taken the time that morning to assure Kageyama that he had done a flawless job covering his soulmark. Despite that, his cheek burned furiously as he scurried into his classroom and took refuge at his desk. 

Kindaichi sat at the neighboring desk to his right. As Kageyama took his seat, the tall middle blocker openly gawked at him.

Feeling self-conscious, Kageyama heatedly snapped at his friend, “What!?”

Kindaichi’s jaw closed, and he rubbed the back of his head nervously. “Sorry, Kageyama, but I have to ask. Have you…” he hesitated before continuing, “looked in the mirror lately?”

Pulse racing, Kageyama snarked back, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Before Kindaichi could respond, Kunimi -- seemingly appearing out of nowhere -- planted himself on top of Kageyama’s desk. His usual half-lidded gaze was alight with mischief. “He’s talking about that black eye, idiot.”

“Oh.” Kageyama had been so focused on covering his mark that he hadn’t even considered the ramifications of showing up with a bruised face.

“Word on the street is that our little Kageyama skipped school yesterday to fight some other poor middle schoolers.” Kunimi took delight in his friends’ bewildered expressions. Despite his unassuming appearance, the boy was one of the school’s most notorious gossips. All rumors, even the most outrageous, found their way to his ears. “It appears Kitagawa has a new delinquent student.”

“That’s stupid,” Kageyama retorted bluntly. “I literally just got to school, how did people even have the time to come up with this crap?”

Kunimi shrugged. “It’s middle school; what do you expect?”

“Are you not going to tell us what really happened then?” Kindaichi prodded.

Kageyama floundered for an answer. In his mind, he could only see Oikawa’s hand flying toward him.

_Don’t say something stupid._

“Oikawa.” he blurted.

_Fuck._

Both of his friends tilted their heads at him. “Oikawa-senpai?” Kindaichi looked scandalized.

Kageyama haltingly followed up with a contrived explanation. “Yeah, I asked him to uh… help me with my serves after our last practice match. And yeah, I bruise easily so…” he tapered off lamely. He wasn’t technically lying. 

Kindaichi guffawed at Kageyama’s description, “You know you’re supposed to receive with your arms and not your face, right?”

Kunimi was slightly more sympathetic, “Oikawa-senpai’s serves are intense. So just to clarify, were you actually sick yesterday?”

Kageyama nodded, “I had a fever, so Grandpa kept me home.”

“That’s boring,” Kindaichi groaned. “If someone asks, you should stick with the delinquent story. It’ll build your street cred.”

“This is Miyagi, not Tokyo.” Kageyama scoffed. “What would I need street cred for?”

He was saved from more good-natured ribbing by their teacher calling the class to their seats to take attendance.

As Kageyama dutifully responded _‘here’_ when his name was called, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed that he didn’t get the chance to interrogate his friends about yesterday’s volleyball practice. After learning that Oikawa was upset by his absence, Kageyama became apprehensive about returning to the club. It took an hour of tossing and turning before he fell into a restless slumber, and he was definitely feeling the effects.

After roll call finished, Kageyama dejectedly fished out his notebook for geometry. 

Asking his teachers for his homework had been pointless. Kageyama barely understood the material when he attended class, so it wasn’t feasible for him to complete the work without the proper notes to accompany it. Miwa had been less than helpful ( _‘I dropped out of university for a reason, Tobio’_ ). He had resolved to ask for Kunimi or Kindaichi for their notes and double down on homework after practice.

Of course, that did little to help him during the school day itself. He sighed for what might have been the fifteenth time when he failed to come up with the correct answer that the teacher had written on the board. Kageyama often bemoaned his stupidity. On the volleyball court, he felt invincible. In school, he was entirely out of his element.

_What point is there in knowing how to find the volume of a cylinder?_

Kindaichi must have heard his sounds of frustration. As the teacher turned to write a new problem on the board, Kageyama felt a tap on his shoulder. When he turned to Kindaichi, the boy had his notebook held out with pity written across his face. 

Kageyama felt grateful that he didn’t have to go through this hell alone.

* * *

“Are you hanging in there, Kageyama?”

The setter was unmoving, forehead on his desk with arms splayed. The only tell that Kageyama was still alive was the answering groan he gave to Kunimi.

Abruptly, he shot up in his seat and rubbed at his forehead, startling Kunimi. “Ugh, why am I so dumb?!”

Kindaichi chuckled from beside him, “Well, it wouldn’t be fair to the rest of us if you were an academic genius and a volleyball genius.”

Kageyama frowned at the remark.

Every class throughout the day followed the same basic pattern. The teacher would review the previous lesson’s work, Kageyama would look toward his friends in a silent plea for help, and they would wordlessly pass them their notebooks. Despite the support, Kageyama understood little of the material he had missed. 

He could only hope that his marks would stay high enough to let him continue participating in club activities.

“You’ll be fine,” Kunimi said in an attempt to cheer the setter up. “You’re coming to practice, right?”

“Yeah, but you two can head there without me. I’m going to stop by the teachers’ office first.” He didn’t actually intend to go to the office, but it was a valid excuse to avoid running into Oikawa in the locker room. “By the way, was Oikawa-san really upset that I was sick yesterday?”

Kindaichi rubbed his chin in thought. “Kind of? You know how he’s been off his game ever since we lost to Shiratorizawa at the summer tournament?”

Kageyama made a vague noise of assent. He never made the connection before, but he supposed it made sense. It was a painful loss for the team, but Oikawa seemed to take it harder than most.

“After he found out you were sick, he just got all pissy saying that that you don’t care about the club and how your slacking off is hurting the team. He wouldn’t stop until Iwaizumi-senpai hit him.”

Kageyama frowned. “That… sucks.”

Kunimi lightly patted his back. “I wouldn’t put too much thought into it. It’s just Oikawa being Oikawa. After the spring tournament, the third-years will retire, and you won’t have to deal with him anymore.”

 _If only that were the case_ , Kageyama thought sardonically.

“You’re right, thanks, Kunimi.”

The boys left the classroom and parted ways with Kindaichi calling over his shoulder, “Don’t be too late; Coach will make us run laps.”

Kageyama only grunted in reply as he headed toward the faculty offices. He briefly entertained the idea of talking with his modern Japanese teacher, but he doubted it would do anything to increase his understanding of what he missed. He settled for walking a quick lap around the school to give his teammates the headstart to empty out of the locker room.

When Kageyama crossed the threshold into the locker room with his gym bag in hand, he was distraught to find that his efforts were for naught. The room was empty save for one person: Oikawa.

The setter had his back turned to the doorway. He was shirtless, and Kageyama could see the distinctive soulmark on his shoulder. Iwaizumi’s handprint signified that the boys had met prior to either of them learning how to write. It was a rare occurrence, but Kageyama thought it was fitting for someone like Oikawa, who was extraordinary in so many different ways.

Caught up in his thoughts, Kageyama was caught off guard when Oikawa turned and captured his gaze with an unreadable expression. Before Kageyama could react, the older setter was across the room, hand raised.

Kageyama flinched back, closing his eyes and bracing for impact.

But it never came.

Instead, Oikawa firmly held the younger boy’s chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting his face upwards. Kageyama opened his eyes in confusion and saw the older setter’s chocolate orbs dart between his discolored eye and unblemished cheek.

“Impressive, Tobio-chan. Is this makeup?” Oikawa was close enough that Kageyama could feel his breath across his face.

Kageyama tried to nod but was prevented from Oikawa’s firm grasp. He cleared his suddenly dry throat instead. “Yes.”

“The idea never even crossed my mind,” Oikawa whispered, talking more to himself than the first-year in front of him. “Whose idea was this?” he demanded. “I know it wasn’t yours.”

Kageyama was acutely aware of the position they were in. It took all of his willpower not to blush up to his ears as he pushed the shirtless Oikawa away from him. “Why do you care?”

Oikawa’s expression turned cold as he presented his other hand. It was wrapped in gauze over where Kageyama knew his name was etched. “Using the excuse that I ‘hurt my hand’ isn’t going to work forever. I’m pretty sure Iwa-chan is already suspicious that something else is going on. Plus, it’s a real hassle while I’m playing.”

Even though it was Oikawa’s non-dominant hand and wouldn’t affect his tosses, Kageyama could still see how keeping it always wrapped would be an issue. “My sister,” he grumbled under his breath.

Oikawa tilted his head. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.”

“I said my sister taught me how to do it!”

Oikawa hummed to himself in thought. “Teach me.”

“What?!” Kageyama exclaimed. “Just look it up yourself. It’s not that hard.”

“Tobio-chan!” Oikawa whined. “I can’t just search for something like ‘how to cover a soulmark’ on the computer. What would my mom say if she saw that?”

Kageyama’s eyes went as wide as dinner plates. “You didn’t tell her?”

Oikawa snorted derisively. “Of course, I didn’t. Are you saying that you told your family after I explicitly told you not to tell anyone?”

Bewildered, Kageyama asked, “How am I supposed to lie when the truth is literally written all over my face?”

Oikawa pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. “Whatever, it doesn’t matter so long as no one at school knows. Are you going to help me or not?”

Kageyama was tempted to refuse Oikawa. After all, the boy had rejected him, so it’s not like he owed the setter anything. When Oikawa had left him crying on the gym floor, he hadn’t even offered to help him cover his soulmark. But there was another voice inside Kageyama.

_He’s your soulmate. He needs your help. He needs you._

He loathed to admit it, but that voice held far more power than the bitterness of rejection did.

Kageyama let out a heavy sigh, “Fine, on one condition.”

“Name it.”

Kageyama smirked, eager that he was going to get something from the arrangement. “Help me with my serves.”

Oikawa groaned. “I should have known.” He frowned but conceded. “I’ll give you ten minutes. But if you suck and it ends up being a waste of time, I’m leaving.”

Kageyama nodded excitedly. “I don’t have any of my makeup with me, so can you wait until tomorrow?”

Oikawa shrugged and asked rhetorically, “Do I have a choice?”

* * *

Having come to an agreement, both boys finished changing into their volleyball gear and beelined it to the gym. They arrived ten minutes late to practice.

At their entrance, the coach clapped his hands, gathering the attention of the athletes scattered about doing stretches. “Okay, boys, now that our setters have deigned to join us, let’s get to running laps.”

Kageyama ducked his head at the glares he received from Kunimi, Kindaichi, and... Iwaizumi? Sure enough, the ace of Kitagawa heatedly raked his eyes over both setters, frowning deeply when he met Kageyama’s rueful gaze.

He made his way to Kunimi and Kindaichi with an apology on his lips, but they waved him off and began to jog at a leisurely pace around the gymnasium.

As he ran, Kindaichi’s words about Oikawa echoed through his head. Over the past few weeks, the setter did seem on edge, prone to lashing out at teammates and making odd mistakes during practices. Maybe Kageyama hadn’t noticed because he was used to being the subject of the setter’s ire. Perhaps he was too absorbed in his own world of volleyball. Or maybe he didn’t want to see Oikawa as less than the perfect image in his mind.

It was during drills that Kageyama first began to notice it -- a crack in Oikawa’s composure.

Serving drills were one of Kageyama’s favorites. As a setter, almost every point scored was a result of your play. The setter was the attack axis of the team -- the general of the army if you like analogies. If a spiker scores off a setter’s toss, Kageyama would not hesitate to declare that the setter made the point. Serves were a different matter. Aside from dumps, serves are the only opportunity setters get to score on entirely their own merit.

It’s the reason Kageyama regarded Oikawa so highly. The setter was a formidable general for Kitagawa. But with his serves, he also proved to be a lethal assassin, creating point gaps through his carefully honed weapon.

When it was Oikawa’s turn to serve during the drill, Kageyama was rotated to be on the receiving side. Receiving a serve from Oikawa was about as exhilarating as it was frightening. The boy’s serves felt like they could nearly rip your arms off -- a mean feat for someone only fifteen years of age.

As Oikawa measured his steps from the end line, Kageyama tensed in preparation, along with the two receivers beside him.

“Hey, Kageyama!” He heard Kindaichi crow from beside the serving area. “Receive with your arms this time.” The boy pantomimed receiving a volleyball, which earned a few chuckles, but Kageyama did his best to ignore him.

It was a wise decision because before Kageyama knew it, the ball was hurtling over the net on a course set right for his face. If it wasn’t for the quick reflexes that drove him to the floor, Kageyama was sure that he’d have a matching black eye on the other side of his face.

He cautiously rose to his feet in time to see Oikawa bristling with agitation. The serve was out.

“Again!” The captain demanded. 

Iwaizumi growled from the sidelines, “Don’t waste the rest of our time just because you missed your serve, dumbass.”

Oikawa looked to the coach. “Again!” Oikawa was radiating a feral intensity. It sent shivers up Kageyama’s spine.

The coach sighed but acquiesced. “One more.”

Iwaizumi dug another ball out of the cart and threw it at Oikawa a little harder than necessary. He was met with an unamused glare from his soulmate. Iwaizumi didn’t look apologetic at all.

After Oikawa stepped away from the end line with ball in hand, he turned and pointed at Kageyama as if to say ‘ _get ready._ ’ It made the boy’s heart speed up. Whether in fear or anticipation, it was hard to ascertain. 

With a grunt of exertion, Oikawa tossed the ball high in the air. In three giant strides, he was at the end line and leaped.

_WHAM!_

The ball sailed over the net almost quicker than Kageyama could track with his eyes. It was going into his defensive zone, speeding with the ferocity of meteor. Kageyama willed his body to move. It was only by pure instinct that his body was able to dive in the path of the ball. His arms met the impact of the ball, sending another loud slap echoing through the room.

Though he was able to dig up the ball, the receive was far from steady. The ball went flying off his arms into the court behind him.

Kageyama lay on the floor in a daze, sure that he’d lost feeling in his forearms. One of the other receivers took pity on him and helped him to his feet. 

He mumbled a weak thank you and spared a glance across the court only to meet Oikawa’s glare. In a game that serve would have been a service ace. Apparently, that wasn’t good enough for the setter. He had been aiming for a no-touch ace, and Kageyama had ruined that.

Through the cries of _‘nice serve,’_ Iwaizumi collected Oikawa from the end line and led him away so the next player could go. 

The Coach must have taken pity on Kageyama after witnessing the jump serve and thankfully rotated him out of the receiving lineup.

Kageyama could have wept in relief as he tried to shake feeling back into his forearms.

* * *

The rest of the drills passed uneventfully. 

Kageyama was able to practice his serves a few times, but he didn’t attempt jumping. They did some basic spiking and blocking drills with Kageyama and Oikawa acting as a setter on either side of the net.

While there was still an obvious tension in Oikawa’s shoulders, he hadn’t made any other attempts to antagonize Kageyama aside from the infrequent glare or sneer.

After a short time, the coach dismissed everyone except those that were in the regular lineup. Since Kageyama was the only first-year on the roster, he waved tiredly at the retreating figures of Kindaichi and Kunimi, who were all too ready to go home and relax for the night.

The coach usually ended practice with the club regulars playing each other six-versus-six. Typically, the starters would go against the B-team. But sometimes the coach would mix it up by switching up the various wing spikers so they could all gain experience working with different players. Since there could never be more than one setter on one side of the net, the one constant in the practice matches was that Kageyama was always against Oikawa.

The two setters played an intense chess match every practice, predicting each other’s offensive strategies and devising counterattacks in response. Oikawa was at an advantage, having more experience between the two. But occasionally, Kageyama would pull off outlandish sets that would defy the expectations of the opposing blockers. The clashing styles of the two setters always made for an exciting practice.

During this particular match, the coach pitted the starters against the B-team, with Oikawa positioned as the first server. It was a tactic they’d been practicing to build momentum from the outset of a game. Whether he landed or missed the serve often set the tone for the rest of the set.

Kageyama’s team prepared to receive Oikawa’s serve with bated breath.

The toss went up in the air, Oikawa jumped, his palm slammed into the ball… only to send it flying into the back wall.

Through the immature quips of _‘nice serve,’_ Oikawa silently fumed while Iwaizumi watched him warily. 

The ball was passed to Kageyama’s side.

Kageyama’s opposite hitter sent a serve over the net straight into arms of the waiting libero who cleanly sent it to the setter’s position. Oikawa tossed it to Iwaizumi, who was waiting on the left side. Kageyama predicted Oikawa would send it to his soulmate first and pulled a middle blocker over to stuff the spike.

A point to Kageyama.

Kageyama did not chance a look at Oikawa. He knew he would find the boy glaring at him. There was a sense of foreboding over the court like Oikawa was a ticking time bomb. Kageyama did not want to be there when he exploded.

* * *

At the end of the first set, Kageyama found himself in the odd position of being ahead. His side of the court wasn’t playing any better than usual. Rather, Oikawa never seemed to recover from his first failed serve.

For every serve that followed, Kayeyama could see the boy straining to jump higher and hit harder, trying to turn the tides of the battle. His sets were almost as erratic, missing his own spikers in an attempt to dodge Kageyama’s blockers. It was difficult for the young setter to watch.

It was set point in Kageyama’s favor when Oikawa went up for his final serve. Kageyama was hoping for his soulmate’s sake that it landed inbounds.

Oikawa never made it far enough for Kageyama to find out.

On the second step of his approach, Oikawa’s leg gave out, and he fell on his side, clutching at his ankle. The ball fell to the floor as everyone on the court turned to stare at their captain.

“Oikawa!” The coach hurried toward the downed setter. “What’s wrong? Is it your ankle?”

Oikawa hissed as he tested it on the floor. “It hurts, but I think I just need to stretch it out, and I’ll be good to go.” He made to get up but was forced back down courtesy of a forehead slamming into his nose. “Iwa-chan! What the hell!?”

“Stay down, dumbass! You’re hurt!” Iwaizumi’s eyes were furious.

“No shit! You just headbutted me in the face!” Oikawa pinched at his nose, which seeped some blood down the front of his shirt.

“That’s not what I’m talking about, Shittykawa, and you know it.” Iwaizumi rubbed at his own forehead that was reddened from the blow. “Everyone here has seen it. You’re pushing yourself too hard, and now you’ve gone and hurt yourself because of it.”

“I have to push myself! If I don’t push myself, then how am I supposed to better?” Oikawa asked, frenzied. “I want to go to nationals. I’ll never win against Shiratorizawa the way I am now!”

“All of this _‘I, I’_ crap is annoying!” Iwaizumi shouted down at the setter. “Are you planning to fight by yourself? This isn’t some joke, you dumbass!” Grabbing the front of Oikawa’s jersey, he continued, “Your results and the team’s results are the same! If you’re gonna get all conceited, I’ll sock you one!”

Oikawa gawked at him. “You already did!”

From the side, someone muttered, “Coach, maybe we should--”

The coach waved off the player, heading back to his bench, seemingly unbothered. He trusted the boys to work it out amongst themselves.

Iwaizumi released his hold on his soulmate. “Listen, Oikawa, we’ve got nobody who could win against Ushiwaka one-on-one. But volleyball’s got six people on the court for a reason.” He narrowed his eyes. “Do you think the rest of us are weak?”

Oikawa stammered, “N-no, no, not at all--”

“Then put some trust in your teammates too. No matter if your opponent is Ushiwaka or some ‘ _genius_ first-year setter,’ a strong team of six will always beat the one. So send the damn ball up for your teammates and trust us.”

Kageyama was stricken. Did Oikawa see him as an opponent? He couldn’t understand why, since the older boy was clearly the better setter. There was no comparison between the two, yet Kageyama couldn’t deny the times Oikawa would give him an assessing look after he pulled off a particularly impressive toss. The captain wouldn’t compliment or ridicule him. He would just stare with a faraway look in his eye.

The fact that Oikawa drove himself to such self-destructive lengths to compete with Kageyama made the younger boy’s stomach hurt with guilt.

_This is my fault, but there’s nothing I can do..._

Kageyama desperately wanted to reach across the invisible divide that separated him from his soulmate, but he couldn’t. It wasn’t his place. Not that Oikawa would want him to, for that matter.

“A strong team of six will always beat the one, huh?” Oikawa muttered to himself. Oikawa suddenly burst into laughter, startling everyone on the court.

Iwaizumi raised an eyebrow at the display. “Did I hit you too hard? What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, Iwa-chan! Thanks, I really needed that.” Sobering up, Oikawa’s eyes seemed to gleam. “In fact, all of a sudden, I feel invincible.”

Both boys started at the sound of the coach clearing his throat. “I don’t think we’ll get much more done today when we’re down a setter. Everyone is free to head home early.” He turned toward the pair of soulmates with a stern expression. “Oikawa, you are to stay off that ankle for the rest of the day.”

Oikawa gulped. “Yes, sir.”

“Iwaizumi, I trust you can make sure he gets home alright?”

Iwaizumi nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Alright then, everyone dismissed!”

* * *

The sun was still out as Kageyama arrived home. For once, he was grateful to be off the court, Oikawa’s minor breakdown weighing heavily on his mind. His only consolation was the fragile smile his soulmate wore as Iwaizumi half-carried him to the locker room.

When Kageyama entered his home, he stopped short of announcing his arrival when he heard his grandfather’s voice from the kitchen. He momentarily wondered if Miwa had stuck around instead of heading back to Sendai.

“Thanks again for coming up here, Miwa-chan. I could tell that it meant a lot to Tobio to have you here.”

From his spot in the entryway, Kageyama could see his grandfather talking on his phone. He deduced from what Kazuyo had said that Miwa most likely just got back to her own home.

“Well, you know I worry about him.”

Catching on that his grandfather was talking about him, Kageyama abandoned any notion of revealing himself and settled into full eavesdropping mode. He quietly removed his shoes at the door and crouched into the corner of the small entryway so he would not be visible.

“I worry that all those stories I shared with him about your parents have set him up for disappointment.”

There was a pause.

“Yes, I know that he’s old enough to figure things out on his own, but he’s different than you were at his age. He’s sensitive and -- dare I say -- naive. What you both have gone through would be tough for any child, but Tobio doesn’t handle rejection well.”

There was another pause, longer this time.

“You have to forgive yourself, Miwa-chan. That was years ago. Tobio doesn’t hold it against you. If anyone is to blame, it’s me for not seeing how much pain you both were in.”

He sighed heavily.

“And not knowing how to put a stop to it.”

Kageyama swallowed hard as his head fell back against the wall and immediately winced at the resulting _thud_.

“Oh, I think I just heard Tobio. Thanks for letting me know that you made it home.” A beat of silence. “Yep! Bye, Miwa-chan!”

Kageyama quickly stood and made his face carefully blank. Rounding the corner, he called into the house. “I’m home!”

Kazuyo met him with a questioning look, “Did practice end early? How was school today, Tobio?”

“Coach let us out early because one of the players hurt themselves,” Kageyama explained mildly. He gestured to his cheek. “The cover did its job. No one said anything, except about my black eye.”

“What about _that_ boy? He didn’t give you any trouble, did he?”

For some reason, Kageyama’s mind immediately went to that strange moment in the locker room when Oikawa towered over the younger boy, shirtless and demanding he divulged his secrets. It made his heart hammer in his chest. There was no way he was going to tell his grandpa that.

“No,” he said simply, the lie slipping too quickly off his tongue for Kageyama’s liking. 

Kazuyo had always been his best friend and confidant growing up, the one person who was always in his corner. Hiding things from him didn’t feel right. Still, as he recalled the phone conversation he overheard, he felt that it might be better not to overburden his grandfather when it was apparent that the older man was still dealing with his own residual guilt.

Giving his grandson a comforting pat on the back, Kazuyo asked, “Since practice was cut short, do you want to toss the volleyball around a bit before dinner?”

Kageyama was tempted but ultimately decided against it. “Sorry, Grandpa. I have two days worth of homework to catch up on. It will probably take me all night. Tomorrow?”

Kazuyo grimaced in sympathy. “Of course, Tobio. I’ll let you get to work and call when dinner is ready.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a lot to unpack here, and I even ended up cutting a scene out.  
> 1\. I wanted to develop Kageyama's friendship with Kunimi and Kindaichi. In canon, when Kindaichi declares that he was never friends with Kageyama, I always thought that was such a powerful moment. So in this work, we get a glimpse of what the trio were like as middle schoolers, and of course, they are BEST FRIENDS.  
> 2\. Since in this AU Iwaizumi never gets the chance to knock some sense into Oikawa after the practice match where Kageyama is subbed in, I needed to find an opportunity for it to happen later since it's such a huge moment of character development for Oikawa. I also thought it would be interesting to explore Kageyama's thought process if he were to discover the one-sided rivalry Oikawa created.  
> 3\. Miwa is gone for now, but Kageyama overhears a conversation between his grandfather and sister. It should raise some questions for the reader.
> 
> Until next time!


	3. Truce

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response to this story thus far has been incredible! Thank you so much for all your kind words! They really do keep me going.
> 
> A common question that has been popping up is about my update schedule. I will TRY to update once every 7 days. When life/work gets busy, it may take slightly more time. Like this last week for instance... ;3;
> 
> Disclaimer for this chapter: I actually know nothing about makeup. Any 'makeup activities' described in this chapter was the result of a VERY shallow search on the internet.

“Does Oikawa-senpai seem different to you guys?” Kindaichi asked, wiping the sweat from his brow.

Kunimi took a long drink from his water bottle before answering. “I don’t know, I don’t obsess over the guy like you two do.”

“I do not obsess over him. I just appreciate his skills as a player,” Kageyama responded, cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. He chugged his own water bottle, desperate for rehydration after an intense set of drills.

With a snort, Kunimi mumbled, “Whatever you say, man.”

Kageyama glared mildly at his friend in irritation before considering Kindaichi’s question. It was true that Oikawa acted differently from the outset of the practice. At first, Kageyama was worried that their captain wouldn’t even be able to participate due to his ankle. However, he was relieved to find the older boy in the gym warming up at the beginning of practice. Apparently, the injury was only a mild sprain that resolved itself after some lengthy stretching. 

When the coach had them practice spiking drills, Kageyama couldn’t help but stare at the setter. His attitude had done a complete one-eighty. There was no more glowering when his set was a little too low. There were no snide remarks when his spikers failed to connect with the ball at all. Instead, he smiled throughout the entirety of the drill, dishing out compliments when earned and advice when warranted.

It became obvious to Kageyama that while Iwaizumi’s words had left him floundering in uncertainty; for Oikawa, they had an entirely different effect. The boy was more carefree now, unburdened by whatever was weighing on his mind since the summer tournament.

“Yesterday, after you guys left, Oikawa had a breakdown at practice,” Kageyama explained to Kindaichi. As if there was some unspoken agreement, none of the players who were present at the practice game had mentioned it so far. Kageyama felt a little guilty breaking the silence, but he wanted his friends’ input on what had transpired.

“Breakdown? What do you mean  _ breakdown _ ?” Kindaichi blinked at him owlishly.

Kageyama growled, “I can’t think of a better word for it. All I know is that he got really worked up while we were playing and hurt himself. After that, Iwaizumi-san laid into him, yelling at him for overworking himself and being selfish.” Kageyama paused. “I didn’t understand most of it, to be honest.”

Kunimi smirked. “Somehow that doesn’t really surprise me. You’re not the most intuitive when it comes to feelings.”

“You’re lucky I don’t know what intuitive means, otherwise I would think that you’re making fun of me.” Kageyama frowned at his friend who was still snickering at him. “Anyway, Iwaizumi said something to Oikawa that made me think I’m partly to blame for the way he’s been acting.”

Kindaichi was curious. “What did he say?”

“Something along the lines of ‘it doesn’t matter who the opponent is’. Then he mentioned the name of some guy. It might’ve been Ushibaka--”

“Oh,” Kunimi interjected. “You mean Ushiwaka.”

Kageyama met him with a blank stare. “Does it matter?”

Kunimi shrugged. “I guess not, but it never fails to amuse me how bad with names you are.”

Kageyama continued with a roll of his eyes, “Anyway, as I was saying. Along with this Ushiwaka guy, Iwaizumi-san said even a ‘genius’ setter can be beaten with a strong team. It made me think that Oikawa doesn’t even see me as a teammate or underclassmen.”

Kageyama hesitated before looking seriously at both of his teammates. “Do you think Oikawa sees me as a threat? Is that why he…?” Kageyama trailed off. There was so much he wanted to ask. 

_ Is that why he’s been so off lately? Is that why he rejected me? Is that why he talks down to me? Is that why he  _ **_hates_ ** _ me? _

He was brought out of his thoughts by Kindaichi’s hand settling on his shoulder. He looked awkward as if he were unused to the comforting gesture. “I can’t speak for Oikawa-senpai or why he does things. But what I do know is that it’s not your fault. Even though he’s my captain, and I look up to him; the way he speaks to you sometimes--” Kindaichi spoke through gritted teeth, “I don’t like it, okay?”

“And if he sees you as a threat,” Kunimi piped in. “That’s on him. If he’s gonna act like some pouty kid because you’re a good setter, it just means he’s insecure.”

Kageyama sighed. “You’re right, but it doesn’t make me feel better about causing him problems.”

Crossing his arms, Kunimi fixed his downtrodden friend with a heated glare. “He’s the one creating his own problems, not you. And don’t you forget that.”

Despite how he was feeling, Kageyama managed a weak smile. Having only known Kindaichi and Kunimi a few months, it meant a lot to the setter that his friends were so passionate in their defense of him.

“Thanks, guys. I really needed to hear that.”

Suddenly, Kageyama found himself trapped under Kindaichi’s armpit trapped in a headlock. The taller boy dragged his knuckles back and forth violently through Kageyama’s hair. “Cheer up, ya idiot! Whatever happened to the guy that was happy as long as he got to play volleyball?”

Kageyama laughed as he tried fruitlessly to wrestle out of Kindaichi’s hold.

“Kageyama!”

Almost stumbling to the floor, Kageyama found himself suddenly released and whipped his head in the direction that his name was called.

Oikawa stood across the gym, arms crossed and expression neutral. His eyes regarded Kunimi and Kindaichi cooly before settling on the young setter.

“The regulars are starting practice now, come on.” Without waiting for a response, the captain turned and joined the other players already gathering on the court.

Kageyama bashfully turned to his friends. “I guess that’s my cue. See you guys next week!”

Kunimi answered for both of them, “See you later, Kageyama.”

Without further delay, Kageyama joined the rest of his teammates on the B-team. As he eyed the other side of the court where Oikawa prepared the first serve of the match, he couldn’t help but shudder in anticipation.

He was definitely looking forward to facing this ‘new’ Oikawa in an actual game.

Oikawa started off with a cross-court jump serve. To Kageyama’s eyes, his form as he leaped into the air looked as if it came straight from a sports magazine. The members of Kageyama’s team could barely react to the ball that barrelled toward them before it was already hitting the floor with a resounding  _ thud. _

Cheers erupted from the starters across the net. The ball was in.

Kageyama couldn’t help but smile at the triumphant grin Oikawa wore as he accepted the praise from his teammates. He was about to play Oikawa at his best, and the young setter could not be more excited.

“Loosen up guys! That was just a fluke, we’ll get the next one!” The de facto leader, one of Kageyama’s outside hitters, yelled in an attempt to boost his side’s morale.

Kageyama knew that serve was no fluke. Whether it was the intense look of concentration on Oikawa’s face as he prepared his next serve or the oppressive aura that radiated off of the other starters who were feeding off their captain’s energy; Kageyama was sure that the older setter was just warming up.

* * *

To call the match a slaughter would not be an exaggeration. The two teams played four sets total with Oikawa’s side decisively winning each one. Kageyama’s team put up a respectable fight, but between Oikawa’s deadly serves and mind-bending attack patterns, it was not enough. To think that the setter on the court today was the same one who had almost suffered a nervous breakdown the previous day was astounding to Kageyama.

As their coach blew his whistle a final time to dismiss them, he surprised the team by praising Oikawa. “That was a hell of a game, son! Nicely done!”

The man was not known to shower his players in compliments, so his commendation opened the floodgates for the rest of the players. They quickly crowded around their captain slapping him on the back and praising his play. Everyone was ecstatic that Oikawa was seemingly over his slump.

Kageyama stood on the outskirts of the huddle, uncomfortable with the displays of camaraderie but still managing a small smile. He couldn’t help but be frustrated that he wasn’t even capable of putting his social awkwardness aside to congratulate the person that was supposed to be his soulmate.

The younger setter was saved from his disheartenment by the coach waving them off to get changed. Kageyama was about to follow suit but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“Tobio-chan!” A singsong rang into his ear.

Kageyama started at the voice, turning to find Oikawa looking down at him with narrowed eyes that belied his saccharine tone.

Oikawa smirked at his reaction. “We’re not done here yet.” He tilted his head, annoyance coloring his voice. “Or did you forget?”

Kageyama shook his head quickly.

He remembered to grab his makeup before he left for school. It was simple enough to avoid his grandfather’s questions by dumping them in a gym bag after he finished his morning routine. That didn’t stop him from feeling guilty about giving away the products Miwa left him though. His grandpa already bought him backups, so Kageyama wasn’t worried about running out.

Kageyama glanced around uncertainly. “Are we doing this here?”

Oikawa ran his hand down his face with a long-suffering sigh. “Of course we’re not going to--”

“Oi! Oikawa!”

Both boys turned to the source of the interruption.

Iwaizumi stood in the doorway of the gym, still dressed in his volleyball gear. His arms were crossed and he scowled at the two setters. “Did you not hear the coach, dumbass? Practice is over!”

“Oh, Iwa-chan!” Oikawa laughed nervously. “I forgot to tell you! I’m staying after practice.”

Iwaizumi stalked over to his soulmate, visibly fuming. “You just sprained your ankle, idiot! You’re not staying after so you can hurt yourself all over again. You promised me that you would stop pushing yourself!”

Waving his hands in front of himself, Oikawa tried to mollify the spiky-haired boy. “Don’t worry, I’m just helping my little protégé with his serves. I won’t be doing anything stressful.”

Iwaizumi looked at his soulmate like he just grew a second head. “You’re teaching… Kageyama to serve?!”

Oikawa puffed his cheeks in annoyance. “Don’t act so surprised. If I’m taken off the court for whatever reason, this dunce can’t mess up my point leads with his crappy serves.”

Glaring at the older setter, Kageyama snapped, “My serves aren’t crappy.”

Oikawa patted the younger setter’s head like he was a misbehaving puppy. “Of course they aren’t, Tobio-chan.”

“If that’s the case,” Iwaizumi began, already stretching out his arms. “I’ll stay after too. You know, my serves are nothing to scoff at either even though Skittykawa gets all the credit.” He laughed lightly as he approached Kageyama.

Before Iwaizumi could get any closer to Kageyama, Oikawa pulled the younger boy behind him by the wrist, creating a wall between the two. 

The older setter laughed airily and stuck out his tongue. “Setters only! No spikers allowed!”

Bewildered, Iwaizumi stared at Oikawa with wide eyes. Kageyama couldn’t help but also feel completely flabbergasted by the older boy’s behavior. Although the captain’s words were teasing, the way he said them was as serious as a heart attack. Kageyama tried to pull away, but the grip on his wrist was as strong as steel.

There passed a long moment where Oikawa and Iwaizumi wordlessly communicated. Although Kageyama couldn’t see Oikawa’s face from behind his back, he was able to see a series of emotions cycle through Iwaizumi’s eyes before they settled on exasperation.

The ace of Kitagawa scoffed and broke eye contact with his soulmate. “Fine, do whatever you want. You always do anyway.”

Oikawa gasped. “Iwa-chan--”

“Don’t even bother. I don’t want to hear it. And you, Kageyama.” Iwaizumi pointed at the first-year. “If Oikawa so much as pulls a muscle, I’ll beat your ass along with his.”

Kageyama gulped nervously and nodded. “Understood.”

Iwaizumi turned back toward the locker rooms and called over his shoulder, “And you can forget about coming over for dinner, Shittykawa!”

“Whaaa?! Iwa-chan! So mean!” Oikawa shouted, pouting petulantly.

The only response was a raised middle finger as the ace stomped out the gym doors.

There was a beat of awkward silence when the gym doors slammed closed. Abruptly, Oikawa dropped Kageyama’s wrist and yanked his hand away as if he were just burnt. 

Kageyama cleared his throat. “Umm… sorry, but did I get you in trouble with Iwaizumi-san?” 

Kageyama had seen the boys fight, everyone on the team had. Usually, it involved Oikawa making snide remarks toward his soulmate or another teammate, and Iwaizumi would respond in kind by berating the other boy with a smack upside his head. What just happened seemed different. Iwaizumi had been genuinely upset with the setter.

Oikawa exhaled loudly through his nose. “No, Tobio-chan, it’s fine. Even soulmates fight sometimes.”

_ Don’t I know that,  _ Kageyama thought ironically.

Oikawa went back to pouting. “You did lose me my milk bread though. Iwa-chan’s mom always buys me the good stuff.”

“Sorry,” Kageyama repeated before he could stop himself. “I left my stuff in my gym locker, so we’ll have to wait until everyone clears out.” His eyes dropped to Oikawa’s wrapped hand.

“Unfortunately, we’ll have to start with serves until we’re positive that we have some privacy.” Oikawa walked to the cart and tossed a volleyball to Kageyama. “Our original deal stands. You have ten minutes. Don’t disappoint me, Tobio-chan.”

Kageyama ran to the serving area and fixed his gaze on the opposite side of the court in determination. He couldn’t mess this up. He marked six steps behind the end line and took a deep breath. Tossing the ball high, Kageyama only made it two large strides before Oikawa’s shout made him stumble.

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

The ball fell to the floor and bounced before rolling to a stop. Kageyama looked askance at Oikawa afraid that the boy was already calling off the deal. “You told me to serve?”

Oikawa crossed his arms and strode to the receiving side of the court. “You have to master walking before you can attempt running. As you are now, even if you manage to land a jump serve on the other side of the net, it’s still going to be an inefficient attack. Try it again, this time with a regular serve.”

Kageyama obliged, retrieving the ball and returning to just behind the end line. This time he performed a serve he would likely use during a real game, simply tossing the ball up and striking it powerfully on its return down. He was satisfied when it landed squarely in Oikawa’s hands on the other side of the net.

“What are you smiling for,  _ genius _ ?” Oikawa asked, accentuating the last word. “Congrats, you just served right to the opposing team’s libero.”

Kageyama smacked his forehead at the realization.

The ball was tossed back to him, “One more time. I need to check something.”

The young setter did as he was told, but to his consternation, it went straight into Oikawa’s waiting hands again.

The captain wrinkled his nose. “Are you doing this on purpose?”

Kageyama’s face went red in embarrassment. “No, I’m serving how I was taught. Toss the ball in front of your dominant shoulder and hit it as hard as you can.”

Sighing, Oikawa asked the young setter, “Do you know what makes my serves such a powerful weapon?”

“Their power?” Kageyama answered with more uncertainty than he would have liked.

Oikawa imitated the sound of a buzzer. “Wrong!” With the ball in hand, he joined Kageyama on the other side of the net. “You’re right that power is essential to my serves, but without fine control of where the ball is going, I might as well be playing for the other team with the number of out-of-bounds serves I’d be pulling. Even then, control is something I have to practice hard every day to maintain.”

“So how do I improve my control of the ball?” Kageyama was genuinely confused.

“That, my pea-brained protégé, is what I am about to teach you! Get the cart over here, I have something that I think will help.” Oikawa ran off to the team’s supply closet.

Kageyama quickly pushed the cart next to the serving area, too curious to feel slighted at Oikawa’s not-so-subtle insult. His curiosity doubled when Oikawa emerged with the case that Kitagawa’s volleyball team used for water bottles when traveling for matches. In quiet anticipation, the young setter watched his captain set up the bottles along the opposite end line.

When Oikawa rejoined Kageyama, the question was clear on the younger boy’s face.

“This is a trick that I learned from the Argentinian setter, Jose Blanco--” Oikawa began.

Kageyama interrupted, “You know an international-level setter?! And he gave you tips?!” The boy was immediately star-struck even though he wasn’t familiar with any of the players on the Argentinian team. He would have killed to have been able to pick the brains of someone like Jose Blanco.

Oikawa lightly karate chopped him on the face. “Focus, Tobio-chan! As I was saying: the goal for this exercise is to aim for the different bottles to increase your control of direction. We’ll work on your placement another time.”

Kageyama’s mouth gaped open at the implication that Oikawa would help him again, but the older setter didn’t notice as he directed Kageyama to begin the exercise.

“Okay, Tobio-chan, aim for the spot that you usually do when you serve so we have a point of reference.”

For at least another half hour, Oikawa worked with Kageyama on fine-tuning his serves. Colorful language was liberally interspersed with actual advice to help the younger setter learn to adequately aim.

_ “Idiot, I told you to aim with your shoulders! Your shoulders determine where the ball will go!” _

_ “Follow through with your whole arm! Don’t just bop it!” _

_ “Make sure you’re transferring your weight from your back foot to your front one, you oaf!” _

By the time the cart was completely depleted and volleyballs littered the floor of the court, Kageyama was exhausted both physically and mentally. Despite his fatigue, he was proud of the progress he’d made in the short amount of time he’d been practicing. He would never say it to Oikawa’s face, but the captain would actually make a competent teacher if he decided to cut the verbal abuse out of his lesson plans.

Oikawa groaned and stretched his back as if he’d been the one practicing. “I think that’s enough for today. Go ahead and clean up. I’ll meet you in the locker room.”

The older setter was at least kind enough to pick up the water bottles and return them to the equipment closet, but Kageyama was left to gather all the scattered volleyballs by himself; a task that was tedious as much as it was tiring after having served for thirty minutes straight. 

* * *

When the cart was refilled and shut away with the rest of the volleyball equipment, Kageyama hurriedly made his way to the locker room.

Oikawa had already changed out of his gym clothes when Kageyama found him sitting on one of the many benches in the room. He held his phone an arms-length away from himself with his tongue sticking out toward the front-facing camera. Kageyama couldn’t help but be jealous at how effortlessly attractive Oikawa was as the boy snapped selfies of himself holding up a peace sign.

“Are you going to get changed or just keep staring?”

Kageyama flushed at being caught red-handed. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked to the side. “You know, you look stupid when you take pictures of yourself.”

Laughing from his belly, Oikawa teased him, “Like you would know anything about it. You’re like the only person in this school who doesn’t have social media. Now hurry up! I don’t want to be stuck here all night.”

For once, Kageyama was grateful for the grotesque combination of body odor and body spray that stubbornly clung to the locker room. He didn’t have to feel self-conscious about the smell of his sweat-soaked clothes as he peeled them off and changed into his tracksuit. He shoved his sullied athletic wear into a gym bag along with his school uniform making a mental note to wash them when he returned home.

Lastly, he grabbed his second gym bag that hid his makeup and brought it with him as he approached the still-posing Oikawa.

“Are we okay to do this here?” 

Oikawa hummed, pocketing his phone. “Yeah, I checked Coach’s office. The lights were out. Also, I doubt the custodians are going to chase us out of here. I mean, look at this place. Does it look like it ever gets cleaned?”

Examining the grimy floors and stained surfaces of the lockers, Kageyama had to concede to Oikawa’s point. The young setter straddled the bench and motioned for Oikawa to do the same. He pulled his makeup bag out and set it in front of him.

“So,” Kageyama cleared his throat suddenly feeling awkward. “Have you used makeup before?”

Oikawa gave him a dry look. “Some of us just look naturally flawless without the help of products, Tobio-chan.”

“Right, uh… anyway, let me see your hand.” Kageyama stammered.

The captain unwrapped and removed the gauze from his hand and laid it palm down on the bench.

Kageyama’s eyes were instantly drawn to the kanji grafted right below Oikawa’s knuckles. In truth, Kageyama developed a crush on the setter fairly soon after meeting him. He recognized a kindred spirit in the older boy with their shared love -- borderline obsession -- of volleyball. So seeing his name branded on the boy was as surreal as it was gratifying.

Reality set back in when Oikawa started sifting through the makeup bag. “So which one do we start with?”

Kageyama mentally berated himself for once again indulging in his soulmate fantasy. He had to remind himself that the only reason Oikawa was even willingly breathing the same air as him was so he could learn how to cover his soulmark.

He shook himself from his thoughts and emptied the contents of the bag between them. “It’s probably easier if I show you how to do it.”

Neither of the boys could meet each others’ eyes as Oikawa offered his hand to the younger boy. Kageyama couldn’t help but blush as he accepted the hand with shaky fingers.

Kageyama began his explanation hoping that the awkwardness would fade. “The first step is to cleanse the area of the soulmark with these cleansing wipes. It should remove dirt and excess oils from your skin and it will help make sure that the makeup stays on all day long.”

He swiped the cleansing wipe over the kanji a few times. Although he tried focusing on the task at hand, Oikawa’s hand felt extremely warm clasped in his own. He feared that his own palms would soon begin to get clammy. If Oikawa noticed his nervousness or his shaking fingers, he said nothing to point it out. Kageyama was grateful.

“Next, you have to moisturize your skin.” Kageyama poured a generous amount of the moisturizer out before grabbing Oikawa’s hand again. “Use circular motions when you rub it in.”

As Kageyama massaged the moisturizer in, he glanced up at Oikawa’s face to find the setter staring unblinkingly back at him.

“Uh… do you have a question?”

Oikawa turned his eyes back toward their joined hands. “No, I guess I just wasn’t expecting you to actually know what you’re talking about.”

“Thanks? I think?” 

Kageyama wasn’t sure if it was meant to be a backhanded compliment or a straightforward insult, but the acknowledgment alone was surprising. He continued his explanation of the process, teaching Oikawa how to prime the area, use the corrector, and blend the concealer. While talking, he consciously kept his eyes away from his soulmate’s face, afraid that the nervousness he’d been able to quell would rise again.

When he finished explaining the last step of applying the foundation, Oikawa interjected, “This looks bad.”

Kageyama examined the end product closely. Oikawa wasn’t wrong. While the soulmark wasn’t visible, the area was visibly discolored from the rest of his skin. Eyeing their joined hands, Kageyama realized his mistake.

“We have completely different skin tones,” Kageyama informed the older boy.

“And?” Oikawa drew out the question, raising his eyebrows.

“You’re paler than me so you’ll have to buy a foundation that matches your skin tone exactly. You’ll also need a concealer that’s closer to your color.” Kageyama’s face scrunched up in thought. “I think a shade lighter than your foundation if I’m remembering what my sister said correctly.”

Oikawa groaned exaggeratedly. “There goes my savings. You’re going to make me go broke, kid. I’ll have to get a part-time job at this rate.”

Kageyama bit his tongue before he could suggest the alternative of leaving the mark uncovered. Things were going relatively well, and he didn’t want to incite the setter’s ire. He settled on the pragmatic approach. “I’ll let you have the cleansing wipes, moisturizer, primer, and corrector.” He pointed to each product in turn. “These are all extras, so I won’t need more for a while. The rest you’ll have to get yourself at the store.”

Oikawa muttered a ‘thanks’, reaching for the proffered items.

“Wait,” Kageyama lightly smacked Oikawa’s hand away which earned him a scowl in return. “Before you go, clean off the makeup and go through the steps by yourself so I know that you have everything down.” He pulled a scrap of paper out of the makeup bag. “If you need to look at this for reference, you can have it.” It was the instructions his sister left him when she visited.

Oikawa rolled his eyes but agreed, “Fine, but only if you do it too.”

“What do you mean?” Kageyama asked, head cocked to the side.

“Your mark.” Oikawa pointed at Kageyama’s covered cheek.

Kageyama’s heart rate spiked at the thought of someone else seeing his bare cheek, The fact that it was only Oikawa who was going to see it only slightly diminished the anxiety he felt. He nodded with great reluctance at Oikawa’s stubborn glare and retrieved a cleaning wipe to remove the makeup off of his face. 

When Kageyama was finished, Oikawa looked at him with that same strange, unreadable expression that he wore the last time he confronted him in the locker room. There was a coldness to it, but he also seemed as if he were assessing the younger boy. It made Kageyama question why Oikawa wanted him to uncover his mark, to begin with.

Before Kageyama could question him, Oikawa sighed. “You know, even though it’s on your face, at least my handwriting is good. Your kanji is terrible.”

_ Oh, he just wanted to make fun of me. I should have known. _

Kageyama pouted. “It’s not that bad.”

Oikawa laughed. “Are you kidding? It’s illegible. Did your mom ever teach you how to write?”

“No, she didn’t. She’s dead.” Kageyama tried to keep his voice matter-of-fact, but he couldn’t help the slight tremor that appeared whenever the topic of his parents was brought up.

Oikawa immediately blanched. “Kageyama, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know, I swear.”

The younger boy waved him off. “It’s fine… she, uh, it happened when I was a baby. I don’t remember either of my parents.”

“So your dad too?” Oikawa asked, no louder than a whisper.

Kageyama nodded, not trusting his voice. 

When Oikawa didn’t take the line of questioning any further, Kageyama mechanically began reapplying makeup to his soulmark using his front-facing camera as a makeshift mirror. The discomfort that suddenly descended onto the locker room was stifling and he wanted to escape the situation as soon as possible. Oikawa followed suit, referencing the instructions Kageyama gave him. Occasionally, he would quietly ask Kageyama for clarifications on the steps, which the underclassman would respond to with stilted answers.

When both boys finished, Kageyama appraised Oikawa’s work. “The coloring is off because of the products, but your application is fine. You should be set after you buy some stuff closer to your skin tone.”

“Thanks for doing this. Teaching me, I mean.” Oikawa muttered. He looked conflicted for a long moment but continued. “I’m sorry, Kageyama.”

Kageyama almost recoiled. He was tempted to ask the boy to repeat himself. He had never heard the captain  _ sincerely _ apologize to anyone. “What for?” He asked seriously.

Oikawa vaguely gestured between their covered soulmarks. “This. For hitting you. Talking about your parents. I’m an insensitive asshole, I always have been.” The older boy seemed to shrink into himself the more he rambled.

“Well,” Kageyama began, uncertain how to handle this self-deprecating side of Oikawa. “Neither of us asked for these things to happen. Sometimes, we just have to roll with the cards life deals to us.”

Oikawa stared unseeingly into the distance with a mirthless chuckle. “That’s right, destiny really is a cruel mistress.” 

When the suffocating silence once again enveloped the room, Kageyama cleared his throat. “You know, my parents were soulmates.  _ True _ soulmates. My grandpa used to tell me stories about them.”

“Oh? That’s pretty rare.” Oikawa’s voice was carefully neutral, regarding his underclassman with a raised brow.

“We’re soulmates too, Oikawa-san.”

Oikawa half-growled out, “Kageyama, we talked about this--”

“No!” Kageyama interrupted, shouting at Oikawa for the first time. “Let me finish! I’m not good with words! Or with people for that matter! But I need to say this! Let me finish!”

The simmering anger was still present in Oikawa’s eyes but he nodded at Kageyama to continue.

“Before, you said that even destiny can be wrong, but I don’t think that’s true. If there’s one thing that I know about soulmates, it’s that for better or worse your life is never the same after you meet yours.” Kageyama knew that he sounded frantic and unintelligible as he explained his train of thought, but he needed Oikawa to understand him.

“I don’t need to have what you and Iwaizumi-san have. We don’t need to acknowledge our connection in public, I’m fine with covering my mark. But between us, I don’t want to deny that you’re my soulmate. Whatever that form takes: friends or a rivalry between setters, I don’t care! If there’s one thing I know for certain, it’s that I don’t want to be your enemy or an obstacle for you. I just… we don’t have to hate each other.” The first-year trailed off, uncertain of Oikawa’s reaction to his confession.

Oikawa took a couple of seconds to digest Kageyama’s word vomit. He responded slowly, “So you want a truce while we figure out what this is?” He absently thumbed over his covered soulmark.

Kageyama nodded. “That’s all I want.”

Without responding, Oikawa gathered all of the products Kageyama told him he could take and threw them haphazardly in his gym bag. He went to exit the locker room but stopped short of leaving. 

“I’ll think about it.” Oikawa murmured over his shoulder before he left the underclassman alone in the locker room.

Despite the non-committal answer, the young setter smiled to himself. It was more than Kageyama had even hoped for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there it is. There were some scenes that flowed seamlessly from my imagination into my word processor (like that cute little trio friendship moment in the beginning). And then there was a scene that I literally rewrote five times, and I'm still not happy with how it turned out (Iwa and Oikawa's little spat).
> 
> Until next time!


End file.
